Darkness Lurks Around Every Corner
by XTurtleTazzyX
Summary: This is the first chapter of my Harry Potter series. I hopw you enjoy and please don't forget to review! This is an alternative of J.wling's series. Disclaimer: These are J.wling's characters.


_October 31st 1981_

The village of Godric's Hollow bathes in the mellow candlelight escaping from hundreds of floating pumpkins, each with a differently carved face. There are joyful cries of laughter and screams that erupt from all sides, as children rush around, dressed in homemade costumes with baskets full of sweets. On every face, there are beaming smiles, and the whole village is covered in a happy-go-lucky spirit. An abnormally tall man strides round the corner, draped in black robes that billow out beneath his feet. The atmosphere thickens, and everyone is suddenly alert and tense. The still-hooded man keeps walking and the air is full of panic shouts. Parents begin to grab their children and throw them into the safety of their houses, whilst locking doors and drawing curtain. The man acknowledges this with an evil smirk, and he halts to a stop infront of a creaky wooden gate. Finally, after five months, the man can finally see the house before him. The man throws back his hood, to reveal a deathly white face, with scarlet eyes with cat-like slits for pupils, and no nose. This man was the most feared person in the wizarding world. This was Lord Voldemort.

Lord Voldemort plunged one of his hands into his robes, and unsheathed a wand. He directed it at the keyhole, but before unlocking it, he glanced at the window. A man with untidy black hair was lolling around on the sofa, talking casually to his wife. She was rocking a child in her arms, wrapped in a soft blanket. She was singing it a lullaby, and her long, red hair was swaying gently as she rocked. Lord Voldemort gave the child more attention. It didn't seem to be that old. _Only a baby,_ Voldemort though. _I will kill Harry Potter easily._ " Alohomora." Voldemort muttered, pointing his wand at the lock. The door clicked open, and Voldemort stepped over threshold. " He is here. Lily take Harry and run!" James Potter shouted, just as the living room door was blasted open. "Crucio!" Voldemort cried, and James fell to the floor, withering and shrieking. " You fool." Voldemort muttered, and he lifted his curse, instead aiming at the bundle Lily held in her arms. " Avada Kedavra." Voldemort shouted, and a green shot issued from the tip of his wand and fired. Green light blinded the room, and Lily was blown away from her child, and she hit the wall, then fell to the floor. Harry screamed at the top of his lungs as the man before him, blew away into ashes. James watched in suspense as Lord Voldemort disappeared.

Harry stopped as he drew for breath. James had scooped him up from the floor, and carried him over to Lily, she was sobbing, and shaking with every gasp of air she took. James threw an arm over his wife's shoulders, and pulled her into a hug, and pressing Harry into her arms. " It's going to be ok." He muttered over and over, rocking the three of them into silence. Twenty minutes later, a roar from a moterbike and a rush of voices could be heard from outside. He turned round to see Sirus, Hagrid and Dumbledore's solemn faces staring at them.

 _August 6th 1991_

A girl stood in her room, her brown bushy hair, tickling the paper as she re-read the letter held before her. This was unusual, even unheard of for Hermione Granger. Hermione was the top of her class in everything, and in English she could finish a book before her class had started. In short, Hermione was a very smart girl, and she was advanced for her age. This however, caused her much bullying. People had quickly caught on how she was a "know-it-all", and they didn't hesitate to make her hate herself about it. Hermione didn't have any friends, in her eyes, her friends were her ambitions and books. Hermione was a normal girl, and she was an only child, with kind, respectable parents, and a decent amount of money. Hermione woke up on this fine morning, to see a letter addressed to her lying o her window sill. it was heavy, and the letter was written on a piece of parchment. Hermione's letter read:

 **HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY**

 _Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore_

 _( Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc, Chf. Warlock  
Supreme Mugwump, International Confed of Wizards) _

Dear Miss Granger,  
We are pleased to inform you that you have a place at Hogwarts School Of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment. Term begins on September 1st. We await your owl by no later than 21st August.

Yours Sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall  
 _Deputy Headmistress_

Hermione looked up. This was absurd. This had definitely got to be a scam. She flipped over the parchment and read on.

 **HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY**

 **UNIFORM  
First-year students will require:  
** _1\. Three sets of plain work robes (black)  
2\. One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear  
3\. One pair of protective gloves ( dragon hide or similar)  
4\. One winter cloak (black, silver fastenings)  
_ _Please note that all pupil's clothes should carry name tags_

 **SET BOOKS:  
ALL STUDENTS SHOULD HAVE A COPY OF THE FOLLOWING:  
** _The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1) by Miranda Goshawk  
A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot  
Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling  
A Beginners' Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch  
_ _One Thousand Magic Herbs and Fungi by Phydillida Spore  
Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger  
Fantastical Beast and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander  
The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection by Quentin Trimble_

 **OTHER EQUIPMENT:  
** _1 wand  
1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)  
1 set glass or crystal phials  
1 telescope  
1 set brass scales_

Students may also bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad.

 _PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST-YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS._

Hermione looked up, puzzled. Witches and Wizards didn't exist. Ok, she had read about them in the Lord of The Rings and The Hobbit, but they were fiction tales, not reality stories. " Hermione, down here please." Her mum called from downstairs. Hermione finished putting her socks on, and ran down stairs the letter still in her pocket. She decided to tell her parents about it after. Before entering the living room, she caught a glimpse of her father. He was talking to someone, and his face registered shock and confusion. Hermione walked into the room, and sat down between her parents. She turned to see who her parents were talking to, and she jumped in shock. Her father was speaking to three adults. The only lady apart from her mother was wearing emerald green robes, and she spoke with a sharp accent. Her face was lined, and her greying hair was pulled back into a bun, and her thin-wired spectacles were falling off the bridge of her nose. Her two "partners" were sitting in chairs opposite. One man looked older, and gave off the impression that he was somewhat knowledgeable. His face was more lined, and his long hair and beard were a fantastic silver, gleaming in the sunlight escaping through the curtains. He was gazing through his half-moon spectacles straight at Hermione, but his mind seemed elsewhere. He too was in long robes, but these were a deep midnight blue. The last of the three was a younger man. He had neck length black hair that fell across his face like curtains. He was wearing black robes, and his cold black eyes were focused on the lady in green robes, who seemed to be halfway through explaining something. Hermione's eyes widened, and she realised who these people were. Could they be the witches and wizards the letter was talking about?

"Miss Granger?" The lady in emerald-green robes asked.  
"Yes Mrs-" Hermione began.  
" I am Professor McGonagall."  
Hermione nodded and Professor McGonagall continued: " We are here today to explain to you and your parents that you are indeed a witch. I believe you have received our letter?"  
" Wait what?" Mrs Granger interrupted. " Hermione hasn't had a letter have you dear?"  
" Actually I have Mum. Its here." Hermione replied. She handed over the letter.  
" Hermione, why didn't you tell us?"  
" I only got it this morning, I was going to tell you but then I got called down here."  
Mrs Granger threw Hermione a half-annoyed, half-confused look. Hermione seemed to shrink under her glare, and instead turned away, looking at the floor, her bushy hair covering her face. The other two robed men seemed to notice this. The older man got to his feet and introduced himself.  
" I am Professor Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts," He cleared his throat and continued: " More to the point, we need to be moving. We have a trip to Diagon Alley to attend to, otherwise I'm afraid Miss Granger here will have difficulty in taking her classes."  
" Ok, shall we get going then?" Mr Granger asked. "Hermione, get your shoes on please." Mr Granger addressed his wife. " Paula?"  
Mrs Granger looked up. She suddenly got extremely angry. " NO I WON'T HAVE THIS RUBBISH! ITS COMPLETE LIES! COUNT ME OUT!" Mrs Granger stormed past her daughter in the hallway and rushed upstairs, locking herself in her room. Hermione walked back in, with her shoes on shell-shocked and slightly embarrassed. Why did her mother always have to make a show of things?  
" Let's go then." Dumbledore said. Everyone climbed into Professor McGonagall's car after Mr Granger had locked up. Hermione turned to see her mother staring at them through the top window. Mrs Granger turned away in disgust. Hermione looked away, and she filled with excitement. She was magic!


End file.
